The Warrior Concubine
by Ellsweetella
Summary: AU. Every year, girls will be taken from their homes to be sent to the palace. This year, Clove was chosen, to be the gift for the Crown Prince, Cato, along with Katniss, for the 3rd Prince, and Rue, for the 2nd prince. Clato, Everlark and RueXThresh DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Hi! This is my first time writing a HG fanfic. Clove and Cato will be the main pairing. Other pairings include Katniss and Peeta and Rue and Thresh. This whole fic will be set in my own ancient imaginary world…. Somewhere in China without knowing the exact date… Characters are a little OOC though… Clove is not that sadistic… Erm.. Since it is set in China, some of their family name will be chinese.

Summary: Every year, girls will be taken from their homes to be sent to the palace. This year, Clove was chosen, to be the Crown Prince's present. Along with Katniss, chosen for the third prince, and Rue, chosen for the 2nd prince, they must try to survive in the place filled with jealously, backstabbing and the battle of women.

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><p><span>The Warrior Concubine<span>

Clove fingers traced the cold blade of the throwing knife. A smile formed on her face as she gripped on the handle. She tucked the throwing knifes into her outer robe, leaving only one in her hands. She ran, throwing the knife at the dummy. It hit it, right on the forehead, digging right through the "head". Today was the day where people from the palace come and choose girls to enter the palace as maids or waiting ladies. She was absolutely sure that she wouldn't be chosen. There was a limit, and the other girls were fighting for them. She had always wondered why they want to be in the palace so much. For the tiny chance of being the Emperor's concubine? Neh! Clove would rather be a warrior.

"Young Mistress, Old master asks for your presence," one of her family maid, Lily, informed her. Clove smiled and nodded. She threw one last knife at the dummy before leaving.

"Father," she curtsied.

"Ah! My little princess Clove! Come here my darling," he gushed, pulling his daughter into a hug. He was Daemon Yang, the most influential merchant in the country. He trained his daughter in martial arts, wanting her to be able to protect herself. She was the apple of his eyes and he never knew that the day where she would leave him came so soon.

"Father?"

"Clove, you are selected to be sent to the palace as the Crown Prince's woman," he broke the news.

"What?" Clove's head snapped up. The palace was no better than prison. All of her freedom would be stolen away from her. She must act like a proper lady, no more knives and martial arts!

"I am so sorry, love. You are chosen as a gift to the crown prince as a reward for him winning the war along with the second prince. Of course, another girl is picked for him and another for the second prince's reward for his excellence in studies."

"When?" after a painful silence, that was all she could ask.

Before he could answer, Lily entered the room with two burly officers behind her.

"Old master, the officers escorting young mistress have arrived."

The world seemed to stop spinning. Everything was lost. From now on, Clove Yang was no longer what she was. She was now Clove, the crown prince's woman, part of the infamous palace.

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><p>The next thing she knew it, she was in a carriage, on her way to the capitol. "Where are we going?" she asked one of the guards.<p>

"To district 11, miss. We have to escort the other two ladies." He replied.

Clove sighed and leaned back. Was this her fate? She drew open the curtain and a gasp escaped her. The scenery was beautiful. Colourful flowers that she had never seen before grew everywhere. Their fragrance mesmerized her. The blood red flower caught her eye. "What is that blood red flower?"

"It is called Manjusaka or Red spider lilies," the other guard replied. Manjusaka… Red spider lily… The blood red flower.

The carriage got to a stop. Two guards went off, leaving her behind with another 2. After a few minutes, the two guards returned. Clove turned away from the window and look at the new girl. She was petite, around 152 cm tall and had dark skin. Her curly dark brown hair was tied up and she wore a dark purple robe. She radiated innocence and purity. Innocent and pure. That was not what people would describe her as. She was usually the young mistress of the Yang household. The cold blooded lady.

"I am Clove Yang. You are?' Clove asked, just out of manners.

"Rue Dove, aged 15, apparently chosen for the second prince," she smiled, but with a sigh in her tone. Clove nodded and peered out of the window. Rue sat next to her, humming a song.

The carriage stopped once more not long after. The two guards left and came back with another girl, who was forced into the carriage.

She had olive skin and storm grey eyes. Her long black hair was tied into a braid. Clove could see the fire in her. She was a warrior, just like her.

"Hi, I am Rue Dove, for the second prince, and she's Clove, who I assumed is for the crown prince." Rue introduced herself.

"Oh. I am Katniss Everdeen, 16, for the third prince." Katniss introduced herself, a small smile on her face. Clove ignored her presence.

Katniss sat next to Rue, a girl she had took an immediate liking for. Rue reminded Katniss of her sister, Prim.

Clove sat in silence, looking at the scenery passing by. She was quiet for the whole ride, unlike Rue and Katniss, who were talking about their hometown. As they entered the capitol, Clove's heart raced. It was all over now. Her life was going to be destroyed completely. Was this her fate? Was this what she wants? No! She was not going to succumb to fate. She was a warrior. She, was going to escape.

The carriage screeched to a halt. A smirk formed on her face. The forest was just beside. The guards got down from the horses. "What is happening?" Rue asked.

"There's a block in a path. It's nothing," one of the guards shouted back. Clove smirk widened. The window was big enough for her to exit. She could sprint and in the forest, it would be difficult for anyone to catch up.

She took a deep breath, placed a leg over and hauled herself out. She ran, not looking back. Shouts could be heard. She continued on, ignoring her burning lungs. Sprinting, she cut through the forest, the branches cutting her. When she was absolutely certain that no one was following behind her, she stopped, resting for a moment.

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><p>Her body tensed. Rustling could be heard. Before she could count to three, bandits pounced out from all directions. They ran towards her, their knives drawn. She smiled. This, was her first real battle. She reached for her throwing knives and in a flash, she killed three of them, their blood staining her dress.<p>

The other 15 lunged at her. Swiftly, she dodged their attacks, managing to plunge the knives into their neck. There was a limit to the amount of throwing knives she had and she made it a point to pull the knives out. No matter how many bandits she killed, the number of bandits kept growing.

She was wounded, tired and was surrounded. The odds were definitely not in her favour. When she thought that she would fall, a pair of strong arms whisked her up.

She looked up and found herself gazing into a pair of beautiful, haunting emerald eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

OMG! Thank you so much to those who reviewed put this into your favourite, alerts and those who read this. Thank you so much!

Thank you, Kai Bin for giving me suggestions and I know you are reading this… :P

Back to the story.

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><p><span>Chapter 2<span>

_She looked up and found herself gazing into a pair of beautiful, haunting emerald eyes._

Clove's eyes fluttered open, finding herself in a huge room. She sat up, her head throbbing. She gently massaged her temple. She looked around, awed. She lived in a mansion, but she had never seen such luxury. Teacups with intricate design sat on the gold table. Paintings and calligraphies of famous authors hung on the wall. She had taken an instant liking to the painting of the peach blossoms. She could almost smell the sweet scent of them. High quality jade ornaments decorated the room. The whole room seemed to be radiating royalty.

Wait! Royalty? Clove cursed. After everything, she was still in the freaking palace. She must escape! She got up and ran towards the grand wooden door. As soon as she laid her hands on the door, a palace maid entered, with a shy smile on her face. "L…Lady Clove, you have awoken. Do you need anything?"

"No, no thank you," Clove replied cooly. Before waiting for the palace maid to respond, Clove jammed one of her pressure points with her two middle fingers, causing the maid to faint.

Clove immediately ran out of the room. She found herself in a yard and swiveled her head around. The main door was located a few feet west of her room, two guards stood by its side, with their backs facing her. She took a deep breath and walked calmly towards it, not wanting to alert the guards. But as soon as the first guard turned around, she pulled out a knife from her outer robe and threw it in the guards' direction. The knife whizzed through the air and caught the first guard in the knee. The second guard was quicker and managed to dodge a knife to his shoulder. But before he could draw out his sword, Clove dashed forward. Her foot lands square on the guard's crotch. The guard fell to the floor as Clove picked up the guards' daggers to add on to her own collection. Without thinking, she pushed through the main door, closing it behind her.

Clove found herself in a place with stoned pathways and even more doors leading to different places. The gigantic palace was not helping her now. Not at all. Making sure to not make any noise, she randomly picked a route and walked on. The corridors were empty, not a soul in sight, only the occasional doors by the side. Making her job of not being seen much easier. Then, she heard the most ear-piercing scream ever.

Knives drawn, Clove swung the door open.

Katniss stared at her, her mouth agape. A palace maid was on the floor, picking up shards of broken porcelain.

"She dropped a vase…" Katniss explained, as she saw the confusion on Clove's face. But before she finished, Clove slammed the door shut and left. Seriously! Who screams just because of a damn freaking vase! And now, her plan of not being seen was ruined!

She took deep breaths, calming herself down. Back to plan. She walked, following the paths, be careful to not let anyone see her, or suspect her. The palace was huge, with beautiful flowers lining the pathways. There was a pond, with water lilies floating on top. Colourful butterflies fluttered around. If Clove was not that desperate to escape, she would have been mesmerized by the beautiful scenery.

She hurried along, knocking out a few palace maids and eunuchs on the way. She found a gate that she assumed led to the city. She crouched behind a huge rock sculpture. Two burly and very menacing looking guards were standing at the two sides. Don't you ever dare think that Clove was afraid. She was not. In fact, the thought of knocking out, or killing the two guards if necessary excited her. A smirk formed on her face, as she cut the spikes of the cactus, throwing them onto the neck of the two guards. It caught them off guard and as they raised their swords, they fell to the ground, limp.

Clove stood up, and hurried out of the gate. She walked along the path, and soon reached a market place.

It was bustling with activities. Candied hawed sellers walked down the streets. Roadside stalls selling beautiful accessories and delicious food were everywhere. The market place was bustling with life. Clove was so very tempted to buy her favourite candid haw. She had to force herself to look away from it and continued forward.

Distracted by the hustle and bustle, she bumped into someone. "Watch where you're going, jackass" she snapped, looking up. That pair of emerald eyes… Where did she see them before? Shit. Damn shit. She ran.

Shoving people out of her way, she rushed forward, knocking smaller sized people over. Without looking back, she ran.

She screeched to a halt as she saw two familiar guards… It was fate wasn't it? No matter what she tried, she was still fated to enter the palace.

"Ah! Lady Clove! Why are you here? You are not trying to escape again right?" one of the guards said, "Here, let me escort you back into the palace!" The other guards grabbed hold of her arm and jerked her forward. Clove glared at them, but she had no choice but to follow them. Since she had to stay in the palace, the only solution was to make the best of everything. She won't be owned, but she will play along.

"What am I in the palace?" she just had to ask.

"You do not know? You are the soon-to-be concubine of the crown prince!"

Concubine… embarrassing and senseless…

"What about that Rue and Katniss girl?"

"Rue is for Prince Thresh, and Katniss for Prince Peeta."

"Oh, so I guess I'll be for another stupid arrogant prince with a freaking gold crown on his head"

"Watch your mouth, missy! Say that one more time about King Odair's sons and I'll whip you so hard you'll cry."

The sinister tone in his voice was unmistakable. But Clove knew better

"Try me," she said defiantly.

The guard turned away and started dragging her back to the palace. "I'll still cut you," she muttered under her breath.

They went into the palace and the guards brought her into this room with a screen. Katniss and Rue were also in the room. The guards excused themselves and left, leaving them inside.

"Girls!" a high pitch voice resounded. A lady dressed in extravagant clothes entered, a smile on her face masked with thick make up.

"I am the head of the imperial Maids, Effie. I will be running some…. Checks on you. First up… Katniss Everdeen!" Effie gushed in a weird accent. She gently pushed Katniss along, hiding behind the screen. A maid entered and Katniss exited, with a slight blush on her face. Clove was curious to what was happening. What did she exactly mean by 'checks'? Rue entered next, and then exited with her face bright red. This definitely sparked curiosity in Clove.

Clove entered, only to be told to strip. Seriously? That's what Rue and Katniss were embarrassed of? Clove rolled her eyes as she gently pulled off her clothing. But she held on to a single knife. "Touch me and I'll cut you," she said coolly. Effie's eyes immediately turned into a sneer as she hissed in a high pitcher voice, "Manners!" Effie prodded and peered at Clove's bare body. "She's in good shape, nice ass, still a virgin. Passed!" Effie finally announced. Clove rejoined Rue and Katniss as Effie once again took the stage.

"We will put you through some intensive trainings to become a proper lady. We do not want any of you to spoil the princes' image!" She stressed on the word "image", but I didn't understand why. Weren't we gifts? How are we suppose to spoil their "image"? Effie then started her boring speech on the proper etiquettes and some other boring stuffs that Clove already knew.

For the next few hours, the girls were drilled in embroidery, calligraphy, painting, dancing and coached in different instruments. Clove absolutely hated embroidery. Rue and Katniss were surprisingly well at it, but none of them could compete with her dancing skills.

When they thought that they could finally rest, Effie announced that they had to perform in front of their princes. They had an hour to prepare.

Clove smirked. She knew exactly what to do. She chose her clothes carefully, selecting a black and white one, which was a little translucent and thin. The outer robe was off shoulder and the inner robe was a little lower than usual, showing off some of her asset. Her dress was made of fine thin silk, and was stunning. She wore a pearl circlet, adding the finishing touch. With a smile on her face, she walked towards the hall, where they will be performing.

Katniss, who was dressed in a red and orange robe that made her look as if she was on fire, went first. With gentle strokes, she played the _gu zheng_ beautifully, the song gentle but filled with strength. Rue went next, wearing a robe, which was forest green in colour. She looked like a sweet little angle in it. As expected, Rue sang. Her voice was sweet and gentle, touching people's heart. Her song was beautiful, filling them with images of the gentle flowing river, with beautiful flowers blooming by its side…. And before Clove knew it, it was her turn.

Clove walked into the room, her hips swaying, a smirk on her face. She carried herself confidently, with elegance.

That's when she saw the pair of emerald eyes trained on her.

_Shit._


	3. Chapter 3

Hi~ Thank you sooo much for the reviews! I love you guys! (hands out cookies, brownies and every thing yummy~)

There will be small Katniss and Rue in this chapter. And… I am so sorry for the short chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games. (I keep forgetting them)

Chapter 3 

_That's when she saw the pair of emerald eyes trained on her._

_Shit._

Clove took in a deep breath. The owner of the breathtaking emerald eyes… The one who saved her and sent her back to hell… He was the crown prince. She was running into the "trap" time and time again. A smirk formed on her mouth. It was really her destiny wasn't it?

Strong, muscular, good-looking and blonde… however the man seemed to radiate a sense of uncertainty. His eyes were the most beautiful part. It was haunting, like a black hole, sucking everything inside them. She bit her lips. No! She would not be his pet. She won't be controlled. Her face lit up. Two can play the game. He will be in her control in no time.

She walked towards the center, her hips swaying seductively. With a smile, she danced, her movements erotic. She could see the smirk in his eyes. The fun has started. Slowly, she walked towards the prince, her lips curved up. Her finger touched her lips, tracing downwards. Usually, it would send men crazy, but the crown prince was not your usual man.

His smirk grew into a curious glance. This girl… he's seen before.

Clove danced closer to him, throwing her long sleeves at him. He caught it, and she twirled away from it, leaving her in her inner robe. A playful smirk danced on her face as she twirled into his arms. She stayed there, locking him into a deep gaze. Her arms playfully trailed his. When things got a little steamy, she got up and wore her outer robe.

"Thank you for your kind attention, your highness," she curtsied and left.

He laughed, in mixture of pleasure and disapprovement. The girl he saved, was his new companion.

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><p>Clove sat before her dressing table, satisfied with the outcome. She got up, feeling the need to formally introduce herself to the beautiful flowers. As she walked in the gardens, a lady stopped her.<p>

"My, my. Who's this? Ah! You must be my beloved's new concubine! Tsk tsk! The eunuchs have such bad taste!" a sickly sweet voice resounded. Before Clove, was a beautiful lady. She had to admit it. The woman had long cascading blonde hair, with beautiful gold hair accessories. Her eyes were sparkling blue and the dress she wore was breathtaking. Clove wondered how many layers she wore.

"Hey! It's rude of you to not greet the first wife of the crown prince!" one of the maid growled.

"It's okay." Waving away the maid, then she turned her attention to me, a smug look on her face,

"I am Lady Glimmer, the _first_ wife of Prince Cato," emphasizing on the word 'first'.

Clove rolled her eyes. Glimmer was beautiful, but way too arrogant for her liking. "I am Clove. Good afternoon, Lady," she pauses, "Glimmer"

Clove had an instant dislike for this woman. She's the definition of arrogance

Glimmer walked towards Clove and whispered, "Don't you dare touch Cato. He's mine!"

Clove smirked. "Too bad. I just did. He was sure satisfied…" Clove drawled. She left, leaving Glimmer standing on the pavement, stunned. "Ah! Touch me, and I will cut you~" Clove sang.

"You will pay. No one threatens me without suffering," Glimmer trembled, her eyes on fire.

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><p>Katniss slumped onto her bed, dazed. The 3rd prince Peeta. She saw him before and owed him her life.<p>

When she was 11, her father died in war, leaving her mother to take care of her and her sister. Her mother slipped into depression when the news of her father death reached her ears. Her mother could do nothing but stare into blank space. Without shelter and food, they were dying and yet her mother could not respond to anything except to cry.

Katniss could remember every detail clearly. It was May 7, a day before her 12th birthday. She just had to hang in for another day, before she could work in the inn. It was raining then, the sky dark with twirls of grey. She was on the streets, begging for food or money, her face covered with filth. She was starving, having gone for days without any food. When she was on the verge on fainting, she heard the sound of horses. She looked up, her eyes filled with despair. The little prince took out a meat bun from his pack and when the eunuchs and guards were not looking, he tossed it to Katniss. Grateful, Katniss grabbed the warm meat bun, mumbling words of thanks. Carefully, she hugged the bun tightly in her arms and ran back home, careful to not drop it.

The delicious scent of the meat bun brought her family back to life. They shared it, filling their stomach. She owed it to the prince. She owed her life to him and now, she was his concubine.

Sighing, Katniss lied on her bed, tired. She fell asleep, dreaming of her best friend Gale and her precious sister.

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><p>Rue sat before the table, drinking a sip of her tea. The tea was fragrant, the after taste lingering in her mouth. Thresh, the 2nd prince. She could remember him. How could she forget the strong and cold look of his eyes?<p>

She was 11 then. She was in the forest, playing, looking for some fruits to bring back home. She was wondering, when she saw a boy, around 15 years of age lying on the ground, bleeding profusely. A deep slash on his right shoulder and his eyes showed great pain. Rue stifled a scream. She had to do something! Gingerly, she helped the boy up, careful to not move his wound. Half carrying him, she trudged home.

Her parents had the shock of their life when they saw her with the injured boy. They laid him on a bed. Rue gingerly cleaned his wound and put medicine on it. She boiled some herbs for medicine and fed him. She took care of him for three days, before he woke up. He stayed for three weeks or so and left, thanking them, when his wound was fully healed. Rue realised that she never knew his name, but he left before she could ask. She never knew that she would meet him 4 years later with her as his concubine.

Life, was weird… which made it interesting.

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><p>Clove looked at the mini waterfall, mesmerized by it. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around.<p>

"Hi, little concubine," he said, with a smirk on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

Erm. Sorry for disappearing. Here's a new chapter! Read and Review! Erm.. If you like SYOT, please join mine This is a rather boring chapter… A filler, without much drama in it. Some characters appeared! Hope you like them Hanfu is a type of ancient chinese clothes. Thank you Kai Bin for editing and doing your awesome magic!

Chapter 4

"Hi, little concubine," Cato said with a smile.

"What do you want?" her voice shrewd, defensive.

"You don't need to be so nasty. It ain't gonna get you anywhere"

"It got me here"

"Don't you like it here?"

"What do you think?"

"Oh right, you tried to run away... twice."

_Well, at least he remembered that,_ Clove thought, _how much did he remember exactly?_

"How's that working out for you?" Cato's expression had turned serious. And Clove felt like she may have started out on the wrong foot. She's seen this guy kill.

She forced a smile, "Good. Good. So you're the first prince?"

"Yeah, that ain't gonna fool anybody."

The smile wiped off Clove's face.

"You know, you're a pretty skilled fighter." Cato mused, the smile reappearing on his face. Well, of course, Clove knew that.

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself."

"I expected you to be more... elegant while speaking to a prince"

"Don't get your hopes up."

Cato grabbed Clove's hand. She tried to pull away but his grip was too strong.

"Let go!" She screamed.

"Hey, calm down. Just taking you to Denise and Beiste. They've called for your presence.."

**"**Who the hell is that?

"Imperial Consorts"

"Imperial Consorts? The high ranking concubines of the emperor?"

Cato silently dragged Clove over to a pavilion in the Garden. There sat two beautiful women dressed in hanfu. She could also make out Katniss and Rue.

"Have fun," Cato whispered into Clove's ears before making a hasty exit.

Clove stared at the furthering figure for a while before she joined the others.

Once of the women immediately wailed out when Clove sat down. "Oh, finally, we've been waiting for ages! Where were you? Taking a dump before you came here right? You do realise there's about two hundred toilets in this castle, why couldn't you just..."

"Oh shut it, let the girl have some fancy, Beiste," Denise offered a cup of tea to Clove and introduced herself. She was fair, with long cascading blonde hair. Her eyes were the colour of the sky and she had a stern aura around her, which reminded Clove of her etiquette teacher. _Peeta's mother..._

Beiste however was dark skinned, her eyes shining. She had a carefree, wild aura around her, that draw people towards her, making them at ease. _Thresh's mother..._

Both women then started talking about their sons. Nothing rather interesting. Katniss and Rue seemed to be rather interested, listening about their "owners". Nothing about Prince Cato came out. So, Clove started looking around the garden.

The maid walking around the small fountain caught her eye. There was something different... something wrong. Then she saw it, a knife, slidded into the maid's left stocking. _What's that doing there?_

"Is that right, Clove?" Denise's voice rang into her ears.

"I'm sorry, what?" Clove suddenly felt that she was in trouble. It was to her relief when Rue mouthed the question back to her.

"Oh yeah, we did. Briefly." Clove said back.

"That's good. Cato's quite a gentleman."

_That wouldn't be the exact way I'd put it,_ Clove thought. But in the end, she ended up asking,

"Does Cato fight a lot?"

Denise looked appalled, "What kind of question is that? Of course not. No prince would ever commit something so ruthless and disgusting!"

_She's hiding something... but why would she?_

"Well... it was nice meeting you ladies, but we should be getting back," Beiste got up, and left. Denise followed behind.

The three concubines sat in silence for a while.

"Well, that, was freaking awkward," Katniss said.

"Very." Rue agreed.

Clove looked towards the fountain again, the strange maid was gone. Just then, Prince Cato arrived. Two guards following behind. "Clove"

His voice was more serious then Clove remembered it to be. "Coming," she muttered. "Well, hurry up, we don't have all day!" Clove was suddenly hit with confusion. Why was Prince Cato suddenly so... Was it because she treated him horribly just now? No. That's when she saw her. Glimmer.

Glimmer shot her a look, detest. Obviously... Clove made her way to Cato's side, Katniss and Rue staring on. She pretended to look weak, playing on Cato's ploy. Obviously, Cato wouldn't want to get caught being nice to the person his wife hates right? Or did that horrid bitch told Prince Cato what Clove said to her?

"Good afternoon, Mistress Glim-mer"

Glimmer stared at Clove, hatred in her eyes. But she meant to savour the moment. "I believe a curtsey would be appropriate."

Clove slowly curtseyed and looked up at Glimmer. _Bitch..._

"Come on, we don't have the whole day," Cato's voice full of impatience.

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><p>Clove stood along the aisle, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did, nothing has. Ever since she got here, everything had been in a complete hustle. She was brought in to be a concubine, yet she seemed more of a slave in the hands of Glimmer, and more of an acquaintance with Cato (well, when Glimmer isn't around that is). Not that she's complaining. But still, something isn't right. There was something common between all the concubines. They could fight. Clove could throw knives, Katniss could use a bow, and Rue... <em>what could Rue do again?<em>

Something snapped, and Clove turned around. It was that maid. That maid she saw earlier! The one with the dagger in her stockings. The one with sneaky eyes which did not match with her innocent smile. Something's not right. Something isn't right with this whole set-up. There must be more reason to this than being concubines. But if the maids were trained... why did they bring in more concubines?

Unless, the maids **weren't** trained...

_You don't belong here... Who are you?_

Clove took a step back, readied a knife in a her right hand. As soon as the maid had her back towards her, Clove let it fly. It soared, the glistening in the sun.

_Time to find out._

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><p>A girl with long fire red hair and amber eyes smiled at the distance. <em>Interesting. Concubine Clove. What exactly are you? <em>She laughed, twirling her paper parasol. _Tiana is interested now~_


	5. Chapter 5

Hi my last chapter is kinda confusing…. Sorry. I characterize Foxface differently You will get to see a weak side of Clove~ My friend helped me out with the battle scene Thank you Kai Bin and all the reviewers and readers! Love you all~~

Chapter 5 

**Clove**

The maid knocked it away at the swift of her hand. Spy. I let another knife fly towards her direction but she easily dodged it. She whipped out her dagger and charged towards me. Twisting around, I flung another knife. She turned just enough to avoid a fatal hit but the point punctures her left thigh. Unfortunately, she thrusts her body forward and managed to slice though my left upper arm. She lost balance, and I flung myself forward, crashing her onto the ground. Her arm pushes me away but I have her pinned onto the ground. She's strong; I'll give her that.

I took out a knife from my robe, and at that precise second of lost attention, she managed to grab my hand and flung it towards my face. I turned away, having the blade only slicing the edges of my cheek. Blood trickled down the cut, staining my fair skin. But that wasn't the end of it. The maid kicked me aside and I fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

"Game over, concubine!" she screamed as she charged towards me, dagger in hand.

I was defenseless; everything was surely not in my favour. I repositioned myself to prepare for a sprint, but she slammed me against the wall, twisting the dagger into my stomach. I let out a yelp, and blood started drooling onto the maid's head. She looked up towards me, smiled, and then let me fall onto the ground.

"Listen up, little concubine. First you, and then your sorry ass kingdom."

She raised her dagger, towering it over my heart. Her face was wild with joy. But I won't be defeated, not like this. I threw my hands out in her face, giving her a gigantic slap on the face, and in that moment of confusion, I grabbed her dagger, flailing it across her throat and landing it square in her right eye socket. To be doubly sure, I sliced it through the left of her face, splattering blood all over myself.

I fell.

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><p><em>I am alone in the darkness. Am I dead? I ran. "Clove!" "Clove!" "Darling Clove!" "Clove!" "Clove-sis!" Many voices rang out. My head throbbed. A familiar figure appeared, her ebony hair flowing to her waist. She wore white hanfu and a pearl hairpin. She turned around. Tears welled up in my eyes.<em>

"_Mama? Mama!" I cried running towards her. I tried reaching for her, but an invisible barrier seemed to separate us. I miss_

"_Darling," her voice was as sweet as ever. _

"_Clove, you are not supposed to be here. Go! I love you. I love you forever," my mother said, smiling gently, before disappearing into butterflies._

"_Mama!" I cried out, falling onto my knees. _

"_Mama!"_

I woke up.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

My heart stopped for a second. Clove fell onto the floor, bleeding profusely. A dead maid with a knife sticking out her eye laid next to her. I ran to Clove, scooping her into my arms. Clove… I ran as carefully as I can to my chambers, careful to not hurt Clove.

"Prince Cato," a maid curtsied as I entered my chambers.

"Call a female imperial doctor! Now!" I ordered one of them. I gently laid Clove onto my bed. I brushed her hair away from her face.

"Prince Cato, you called for me?" the imperial doctor arrived.

"Yes. Tend to the concubine's wounds." I got up and gestured towards Clove.

She bowed. She sat next to the bed, taking Clove's wrist. I turned around and left, a slight blush on my face as the Doctor undressed Clove to see her wounds.

Time seemed to crawl really slowly. I paced around, feeling extraordinary worried. It seemed like eternity before the doctor came out.

"Prince Cato, Lady Clove's"

"Concubine... Concubine Clove..."

"Concubine Clove's wounds are serious, but as long as she eats her medicine that I told your servant, and rest, she will heal soon." Doctor Yan bowed and left.

I sighed in relief and ran into the room. Sitting by the bed, I took wet towel and gently wiped Clove's face.

My servant came in and passed me the brewed medicine. I took it, gingerly blowing it as I fed her. A trickle of medicine trickled down her chin. Gently, I wiped it away.

"Prince Cato, should we carry Concubine Clove to her chambers?" one of my servants asked.

"No. It's fine." I dismissed them. They curtsied, and exited.

My hand brushed against her forehead. Hot! Crap. She was having a fever! She trembled; sweat breaking out from her forehead. Taking a wet towel, I sponged her forehead and made sure to keep her hydrated. I hugged her tight, afraid that I would lose her.

"Clove? Clove!" I shouted in worry as she thrashed about in bed, cold sweat rolling down her forehead.

Her eyes fluttered open.

* * *

><p><strong>Clove<strong>

Cato's worried face flashed for a second, before reverting back to his usual expression. I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but I couldn't find my voice.

"Thanks…" I managed to croak out.

"Welcome," he said with a smile.

"Prince Cato, Concubine Clove, the emperor calls for your presence." A servant came in and announced the news.

"Clove is unwell. I mean Concubine Clove. We will not be able to attend."

"I am alright. Prince Cato, we will attend." I smiled sweetly at the servant. I won't show my weakness. No matter what.

"You… Fine." Cato sighed.

I smirked and quickly dressed myself, wincing at the pain.

We walked to the main palace, where the other princes, princesses, imperial consorts, ladies and concubines had gathered. We joined them, standing in our places.

"The emperor has arrived!" A eunuch announced as a golden sedan chair entered. The emperor stepped off the chair and walked towards us, his eunuchs and servants surrounding him. The wind caressed his bronze hair as his eyes gleamed under the sunlight.

" Everyone, we are pleased to have Princess Tiana Huang, princess of the Light Kingdom as a guest." A girl with long fire red hair and amber eyes smiled and curtseyed. Somehow, she reminded me of a fox.

"Good evening everyone! Tiana is very pleased to be under your care~" she said in a sweet voice. Beside her was her maid who had wide-set brown eyes and dark brown eyes. She smiled meekly at us, looking so innocent and weak.

Something smells fishy about that. And no, I wasn't talking about the emperor who was carrying a tank of goldfish.

* * *

><p><strong>Tiana<strong>

Why did I have to act so disgustingly? Oh right. I was forced to. Great. Well, well. All's needed in love and war. And who can resist it? The smell of blood? Especially when you have an Imperial Consort's blood all over your beautiful face. Who can resist it?


	6. Chapter 6

GAA! SORRY! I was busy… I uploaded a image for this story… It doesn't really look like Clove but I hope you like it

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

The full moon hung in the sky, glowing softly. It was hauntingly quiet, without a hint of activity. A guard with sunken cheeks carried a lantern, making his rounds around the palace. He rubbed his tired eyes and stretched. Just then, a door creaked opened. Trembling, he stumbled into the room.

It was pitched dark and the only light source was the faint flickering light from his lamp. With all the courage he could he walked further in, prying away the countless cobwebs.

He felt himself kicking something… hard. Shaking, he looked down, and screamed.

"L…Lady Denise!"

* * *

><p><strong>Clove<strong>

"I told you to not go," Cato rolled his eyes, with a slightest hint of amusement in his tone. I groan, sticking my tongue out at him when he was not looking.

"My body is none of your business!" I huffed, as the doctor dresses my wound again.

"I saved your live twice! And who said that your body is none of my business? You are my concubine! You-" He walked towards me, shoving the doctor away. He pressed me to the bed; his eyes bore into mine, as my body felt like it was being burned alive. Clove!

"Your highness, I didn't know that you have fantasies on preying helpless girls who are practically naked except for the bandages," I smirked, regaining my composure. He let go of me and turned around. I swore I saw him blush! Really! I quickly wore my clothes as a bubble of laughter rose in me, threatening to burst open any time soon.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!" a eunuch rushed in, bowing at Prince Cato.

"What is it?"

"L…Lady Denise… Imperial Consort Denise is found dead…" the eunuch informed him, sobbing in between. What? Lady Denise… Lady Denise is dead? My thoughts fluttered to Katniss and Prince Peeta.

Wait. I discovered a spy in the palace, a new (and fishy) foreign princess came to visit and… Lady Denise was discovered…. Dead. Coincidence? I don't think so.

"Alright… I will take a look." Cato nodded and left.

"I will go too," I said, and left, before any of them could react.

* * *

><p>When we reached, Prince Peeta, Katniss, Prince Thresh and Rue were there. Katniss was gently patting Peeta's back, her eyes filled with complex emotions that I could not read. There was pity… and something else.<p>

"Brother, take a look," Thresh grunted. Cato nodded and went forward. I followed behind, a little afraid of what I was going to see.

Lady Denise laid there, stiff. There were cuts all over her body and face, and her once beautiful face was beyond recognition. A murder. But who?

"Does the Emperor know?" Cato asked, his voice cold.

"His Majesty is out now. We have sent a message to his majesty informing his majesty about the news, but it will take time to reach …" The eunuch answered with a bow.

"I see."

"The imperial detectives will come soon, your highness."

"Alright. If they find anything, report back to us immediately." Cato turned and left.

Us?

"Yes your highness. I will report to you and the princes."

"The concubines are included too."

Shock was written on everybody's face.

"Yes, your majesty,"

Cato grunted and left. I took a last look at the corpse and before I left, I saw a figure not too far away. The murderer.

* * *

><p>"Prince Cato! I…I heard… I heard that Imperial Consort Denise is…. Is…" Glimmer sobbed, running towards Cato.<p>

"Enough. I am going of to work." Cato silenced her and left, his servants and eunuch trailing after him.

"Hey! Isn't this Concubine Clove! I didn't knew that you are so weak!" Glimmer smirked, looking at my wound. My eyebrow twitched.

"Lady Glimmer," I curtsied, a fake smile on my face. "Lady Glimmer, I hope that you are feeling happy today, for if you frown more, I a afraid that more wrinkles will appear. Ah! I have to go. " I curtsied and left, laughing in my heart.

I looked back, laughing as Glimmer stood over the pond, inspecting every inch of her face.

"Concubine Clove!" I heard the sharp scream of Glimmer. Pfft!

* * *

><p>"I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" I heard a soft gentle voice cried.<p>

"It's okay! Here, let me help you up," A voice that sounded like Rue said gently.

A maid, Johanna (I think), had bumped into Katniss and Rue, and fell, breaking the teacup into pieces. She had cut herself, and was bleeding quite profusely. Her eyes were teary and she radiated innocence.

"Come here, let me dress your wound," Katniss said.

"Eh? But…"

"Shut up and come here," Katniss growled, commanding the maid. She pulled the maid over and washed her wound, bandaging it.

"T…Thank you Lady Katniss, Lady Rue…" Johanna bowed, with a slight blush on her face. Her voice was filled with gratitude.

Rue smiled sweetly, and helped Johanna to a shady spot.

Hmm… Johanna, the maid of Tiana. I don't trust her. I am definitely sure that she was hiding something inside her.

"Lady Clove? Ah! Come join us!" Rue spotted me, a bright smile on her face. I looked at her. Is she an alien? Before I could answer, she ran towards me and pulled me towards them.

Johanna dismissed herself, saying that her mistress was looking for her. Rue started playing the guzheng. The melody was beautiful, sending shivers down my spine. It was painting pictures of a beautiful waterfall, with butterflies and lush green trees…

"Who is it?" the music stopped. Needles shot out from the guzheng, flying to their target.

"It's just me," Thresh stepped out of the bushes.

"P… Prince Thresh!" Rue stammered, falling into a curtsey. Her face was tinted with the slightest pink.

"Good shot, Rue." Prince Thresh picked up a dead man and waved it at her. "He's an assassin." The dead man was cloaked in black, with a needle sticking out from his throat.

… Seriously? Rue killed someone with a needle?

"He is not dead… He is just unconscious. I did not aim for his death spot…" Rue mumbled, her face redder. "I…I was thinking of interrogating him…"

"I will send him to the guards," Thresh nodded.

"Er…"

"I will interrogate him myself."

"Un," Rue blushed, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Join me." It wasn't a request. It was a demand. He grabbed Rue's tiny hand and they walked away, off to interrogate some assassin. Wow. Such a great date!

* * *

><p>I sat on my bed, bored. The night sky was beautiful, filled with sliver stars that hung in the air like diamonds.<p>

"Concubine Clove, we have some clues on the case," Cato walked in and said. Before he could continue, a scream pierced the air.


End file.
